Title

CONSTEEL® EVOLUTION, THE SECOND GENERATION OF CONSTEEL® TECHNOLOGY

CONSTEEL® EVOLUTION, THE SECOND GENERATION OF CONSTEEL® TECHNOLOGY

Authorship

Memoli, Francesco; Rondini, Nicola; Giavani, Cesare; Malfa, Enrico

DOI

10.5151/2594-5300-22752

Downloads

heading.download_article_detail 553 Downloads

Abstract

After more than 20 years from its first commercial installation, with 41 references worldwide (8 of which are on the way), Tenova’s Consteel® technology has become a proven steelmaking technology, appreciated for its efficient use of energy and raw materials, operational and maintenance ease, and environmental friendliness. The experience made throughout these years, on Consteel® electric arc furnaces running in quite different scenarios have given Tenova’s team several ideas how to improve the technology.(1) Improvements were investigated with a deep look on the complex scrap heating phenomenon taking place inside the Consteel® system by means of lab tests and CFD analysis. The changes introduced with the new Consteel® Evolution span on the entire system: from the EAF design up to the heating tunnel section, where the most noteworthy change in the system has taken place. The main driver for the whole development has been the reduction the electrical energy consumption by means of an improved scrap heating inside the tunnel: reshaping the tunnel geometry, using EFSOP® off gas analysis measurements and using Air/Gas Burners to help the initial melting of the charge. Replacing electric energy with chemical energy provided by burners reduces the operating costs, in particular for all those areas where natural gas has become largely available and inexpensive as the United States with the development of the Shale Gas industry.

 

After more than 20 years from its first commercial installation, with 41 references worldwide (8 of which are on the way), Tenova’s Consteel® technology has become a proven steelmaking technology, appreciated for its efficient use of energy and raw materials, operational and maintenance ease, and environmental friendliness. The experience made throughout these years, on Consteel® electric arc furnaces running in quite different scenarios have given Tenova’s team several ideas how to improve the technology.(1) Improvements were investigated with a deep look on the complex scrap heating phenomenon taking place inside the Consteel® system by means of lab tests and CFD analysis. The changes introduced with the new Consteel® Evolution span on the entire system: from the EAF design up to the heating tunnel section, where the most noteworthy change in the system has taken place. The main driver for the whole development has been the reduction the electrical energy consumption by means of an improved scrap heating inside the tunnel: reshaping the tunnel geometry, using EFSOP® off gas analysis measurements and using Air/Gas Burners to help the initial melting of the charge. Replacing electric energy with chemical energy provided by burners reduces the operating costs, in particular for all those areas where natural gas has become largely available and inexpensive as the United States with the development of the Shale Gas industry.

Keywords

Consteel® System; Continuous charging; Steelmaking; CFD; Burners.

Consteel® System; Continuous charging; Steelmaking; CFD; Burners.